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Having just technically said goodbye to the last days of summer, we’re wrapping up the sunny season in the best way possible – with this cliff top home by Studio Esteta. Within arm’s reach of Portsea Pier and bowing down to its Port Phillip Bay views, the Portsea House is an inviting family coastal abode with considered modernist winks.

Studio Esteta were entrusted with a two-storey Portsea residence reminiscent of the Modernist era. The client requested not to make any changes to the existing footprint of the six-bedroom home they share with family and friends and only minor modifications to the overall spatial arrangement. This meant sticking to the existing kitchen, dining and living areas on the first floor, maximising the coastal aspect.

Paying tribute to the understated character of the home and its past was a priority for the Portsea House. The clients already had a deep appreciation for the mid-century design period, so the home includes a very special mix of vintage lighting and furniture pieces. One of these key design icons is an original Semi Pendant featured on both levels of the home. Other standout design objects introduced in the home are the recognisable Circle Chair, Panton Chair and Entre 1B Oak bedside table. Custom furniture and joinery sit comfortably with the famed craftsmanship on show, which the team at Studio Esteta call a neutral backdrop for the client’s travel treasures and curios. These timber joinery insertions ensure a strong sense of home and demonstrate Studio Esteta’s absolute attention to detail – down to the selection of handles and pulls.

The new staircase design was explicitly informed by the mid-century era, setting the tone of the home from entry. Together with the new buffet joinery, added in when Studio Esteta reimagined the ground floor, they carry the warm and welcoming timber scheme from the one storey into the next.

The tactile palette of the Portsea House is firmly grounded in the coastal context and mid-century style and character of the abode. This culminates in the slatted wall panelling, timber and marble, while a direct relationship with the outdoors is established with the crazy paving used inside and out. The array of artwork and ceramics are another example of how the home positions itself as a curated, yet unpretentious beach house.

Remaining true to and enhancing the significance of its Modernist, mid-century heritage has provided the foundations for a seriously cool yet classic family beach house. Not exaggerating the coastal locale but conscious of its second-to-none vistas this waterfront home is a winner for all.